There are a variety of situations where accurate color reproduction in digital imaging is desired. For example, many companies demand that their corporate identities—things such as logos and product advertising—have a consistent look and color, no matter where the actual printing or display occurs. Other examples include taking digital images of products for advertising. If the color in the images is not an accurate representation of the color of the product, the consumers are not able to make informed purchasing decisions.
Color in digital images can be influenced by a variety of factors. One factor is the illumination of the target. The illumination affects the colors sensed by a camera. For example, illumination with fluorescent light can put a green or bluish cast to the colors while illumination with incandescent lights can produce a yellow tint in the colors. In some instances, such as in a photography studio, the illumination can be carefully controlled.
The device taking the image is another significant factor in color reproduction. The device optics can introduce color errors or may not focus enough light on the image detector for accurate acquisition of color in a particular scene. The detector array of the device can be another significant source of color error. The detector array may not be able to produce the full gamut of colors within the scene to a desired level of accuracy. For example, when a user uses a mobile phone to produce images of home furnishings inside the user's home, the color in the images may not accurately represent the color of the target scene.
To facilitate color reproduction, a color calibration chart (also referred to as “color chart”) may be used for performing color profiling. For example, a color chart may include known color attributes that can be used to measure colors in an image. Further, color charts may be used to calibrate and/or profile digital input devices such as digital cameras, and scanners and output display systems like printers, monitors and projectors as well as for color correction of an acquired image. A color chart may be constituted as a flat, physical object colored with an arrangement of standardized color samples.